How To Tell Your Phone Has Been Hacked & What To Do About It

Our phones hold the keys to our personal and professional lives, from sensitive photos and messages to banking information and work emails. Not to mention, you wouldn’t be able to keep your Wordle streak going if your phone was hacked!

The thought of our phones being stolen or hacked can be really unsettling. If you’re worried your phone is hacked, or you want to do all you can to avoid that happening, here’s what you need to find out if your information is in the hands of a hacker.

Signs Your Phone Has Been Hacked

  • woman holding a phone hacked with security breach warningPoor Performance: If your phone is suddenly sluggish, crashing, or freezing frequently, it could be a sign of malicious software running in the background.
  • Weird Behavior: Are apps opening or closing by themselves? Is your phone turning off on its own? These are all signs of potential hacking.
  • Draining Battery: Malware and spyware can consume a lot of power, resulting in faster battery drain.
  • Unexplained Data Usage: A significant increase in data consumption might suggest your phone is being used to transmit data to cybercriminals.
  • Unknown Apps: Finding apps on your device that you didn’t download could be a clear sign that your phone has been compromised.
  • Unauthorized Charges: Keep an eye on your bank statements for purchases you didn’t make—a common repercussion of phone hacking.
  • Strange Texts: Receiving or finding sent messages that you don’t recognize may indicate your phone is under the control of someone else.

What to Do if Your Phone Is Hacked

  1. Disconnect from WiFi and Cellular Data: This can help prevent the hacker from accessing your phone remotely.
  2. Run Security Software: Use reputable antivirus software to detect and remove malware.
  3. Update Your Software: Ensure your operating system and all apps are up to date. Patches often fix security vulnerabilities.
  4. Change Your Passwords: Update all your passwords, and consider using a password manager to generate and keep track of secure passwords.
  5. Remove Unknown Apps: Uninstall any suspicious apps that you didn’t download yourself.
  6. Inventory Sensitive Accounts: Check for unauthorized access on your accounts, and alert your bank if necessary.
  7. Consider a Factory Reset: If all else fails, backing up your important data and then doing a factory reset can wipe out malware.
  8. Ask for Professional Help: Sometimes, the issue can be too complex to handle alone—don’t hesitate to reach out to cybersecurity professionals.

Will You Have to Buy a New Phone? 

It’s a common assumption that once your phone has been hacked, you’ll need to get a new one. However, this isn’t always the case. In some situations, removing malware and taking security measures can eliminate the issue entirely.

If your phone is significantly damaged or if the hacker has gained physical access to it, then purchasing a new one might be necessary. However, it’s always worth trying to fix the issue before resorting to buying a new phone.

How to Protect Your Phone from Being Hacked

Prevention is always better than cure, so here are some tips to keep your phone safe from hacking:

  • Use security software and keep it up to date.
  • Be cautious of opening links or downloading attachments from unknown sources.
  • Don’t use public WiFi without a VPN (virtual private network).
  • Regularly backup your data to a secure location.
  • Enable two-factor authentication on all your accounts.
  • Use strong, unique passwords and change them regularly—our suggestion would be every 90 days.
  • Keep an eye out for any strange or suspicious activity on your phone.

Has Your Work Phone Been Hacked?

If you suspect your work phone has been hacked, it’s imperative to act immediately. Many companies have Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies in place, so ensure you understand your employer’s guidelines on how to handle such situations. Contact your company and IT department right away to prevent the compromise from affecting corporate networks and data.

Common Angle Can Protect Your Work Devices

Business data is much more attractive than a personal device, which means the target is any device that accesses company information. With a little training and managed IT services from Common Angle, you can protect all of your work devices and secure the data they access.

If you’re worried about phone hacking, reach out today and partner with us to get your BYOD (bring your own device) policies in place and create a secure environment for your employees to work in.